Wondering what dental bonding is and how long it lasts? Our Chilliwack dentists address your questions about how dental bonding works, financial considerations and alternatives.
Dental Bonding to Help Restore Smiles
During the dental bonding process, your dentist will apply tooth-coloured composite resin to your tooth surfaces, effectively repairing chips, decay, fractures or hiding discolouration and staining.
The composite material can help to fill gaps left by a cavity, improve the appearance of your teeth and make your teeth appear longer. Needless to say, the appearance of your teeth before and after dental bonding can change significantly.
How Long Dental Bonding Lasts
The effects of dental bonding typically last for 4 to 8 years, and potentially longer, depending on a few factors:
- How well you care for your teeth (by maintaining a thorough oral hygiene routine including daily brushing and flossing)
- Which areas of your mouth are bonded
- Whether you attend your regularly scheduled dental appointments (twice each year)
- Your dietary choices
How well you care for your teeth will play an essential role in how long your dental bonding lasts. Avoid acidic or sugary foods, as these can wear on your teeth. If you enjoy fruit, brush and floss your teeth soon after so plaque or bacteria does not have the chance to grow.
Also avoid chewing ice, hard candy, grinding your teeth or biting down too hard, all of which can chip the bonding material.
Maintaining a consistent and thorough oral hygiene routine is of utmost importance. The healthier the natural tooth material around the bonding material remains, the longer the restoration will last.
Benefits of Dental Bonding
If you choose dental bonding to help improve the appearance of your smile, you may experience the following benefits:
Changes appearance of teeth: Dental bonding can help adjust the colour and shape of your teeth for symmetrical, cohesive look.
Non-invasive: As far as cosmetic treatments go, dental bonding is relatively non-invasive and you won't require any recovery time.
Quick treatment: We can usually perform the procedure in just one visit.
Cost-effective: Dental bonding is generally considered to be a cost-effective alternative to more extensive cosmetic dental procedures such as crowns, bridges and veneers.
Long-lasting: As long as you care for your smile properly, you can expect the effects of dental bonding to last for 4 to 8 years, or longer in some cases.
Cost of Dental Bonding
Patients who come to us for dental bonding procedures are often concerned about cost. Your specific cost will depend on a few factors:
- The number of teeth being repaired
- Scope of work, location and size of the areas of the mouth being bonded
- Your location – costs may change depending on which city and dental practice performs the procedure
- How much of the procedure is covered by insurance (this may depend on whether your issue is primarily structural or cosmetic)